Check out this week’s picks for our editorial faves:

Couture in the City: Dvb Jeans by David and Victoria Beckham
Okay so its official – I am giving up chocolate. And chips. And the occasional glass of wine I so soooo love. Actually I may as well give up eating all together if I am going to be able to indulge the latest love of my life. Yes, I have fallen again for the impossible, the gorgeous, the have to have latest buy that just happens to come in a size zero and is designed to make a size 4 look like a candidate for Jenny Craig.

Moms Buzz: 10 Commandments of Pregnancy Exercise
For those busy moms who are expecting their first baby, second or other #, and love to and can exercise, here are 10 handful tenets worth warding.

Shrimpton Couture Contest
Win $100 by sending in your suggestions!

Stiletto Jungle: Is Dreaming Tommy Hilfiger Delicious?
Three real-world women review the newest fragrance from Tommy Hilfiger.

Australia’s Amazing Remedy
A Must-Have for Your Medicine Cabinet - Discover the Wonders of Tea Tree Oil

Tot Snob Contest - Travel Horror Stories
Tot Snob wants to hear your worst travel horror story for a chance to win the CARES seat belt.

Win a $100 Montgomery Ward Gift Certificate from stylenotes
Register for a chance to win a $100 Montgomery Ward Gift Certificate from stylenotes starting on Tuesday, March 25th at 10am. Montgomery Ward offers an array of products ranging from home decor, furniture and bedding to fitness, pet care, jewelry,and apparel.

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What’s your sign? Aries? Sagittarius?….Rooster?

Most Americans are familiar with the western moon signs of the zodiac but may not be as familiar with the Chinese Zodiac.  

In western astrology, there are twelve signs: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces.  An individual’s zodiac sign is determined by their date and month of birth.  Each sign carries certain traits and horoscopes that pertain to individuals that sign that can teach you about your personality and even your future.

The Chinese culture has a slightly different take.  The Chinese zodiac system consists of twelve animal signs which are repeated every twelve years.  An individual’s Chinese Zodiac sign is determined by an individual’s year of birth and corresponds to an animal sign which tells of their character, attitude, and traits, such as life expectancy and luck. 

In Chinese folklore, astrology is represented by twelve animals: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Boar/Pig.  Each year is assigned to an animal or “sign” and the cycle repeats itself, so that the same animal recurs in the same order every twelve years.

Chinese legend reveals that the twelve animals had a competition as to who was going to lead the cycle and in what order. The gods held a race; whichever animal was to reach the opposite bank of the river first would lead the year, and the rest would follow according to their finish. So that’s how the order of the cycle came about.  The Rat reached the bank first and the Boar/Pig was last, all the other animals falling in between.

The Chinese Zodiac is a great way to learn about yourself and your attributes. The next time you’re interested in digging around to learn about yourself or what your future holds, you might try looking up your Chinese Astrological sign and see what it has to say.

Here’s a great website that I have found very useful and fun to explore: http://chinese.astrology.com. 

Related Links:
Chinese Zodiac & Calender
12 Chinese Zodiac

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We’re pleased to announce Glam’s partnership with Natural Solutions Magazine. For those of you who know and love Alternative Medicine Magazine~ tomorrow it hits newsstands with it’s new name: Natural Solutions.
In the post below, the healthy and savvy editors of Natural Solutions Magazine advise us on what ingredients to look for when it comes to luscious lips this winter.

Find Natural Radiance Tips Here

Right on the Kisser: Save Your Lips from Winter’s Hard Knocks

Another winter, another season of dry, chapped lips. The culprits: age and the environment. “As we age, we start to lose moisture in our cells: as a result, many people suffer from chronic dry lips at least in winter,” says Merrideth Wile, an aesthetician at Holistic Health, a healing center in Frederick, Maryland. The solution: lip balm.

Because you slather lip balm on - you guessed it - your lips, you end up swallowing much of the product you apply. Since most conventional lip balms contain chemical ingredients like parabens and petroleum, choose ingredients carefully. Parabens may impair fertility and raise cancer risk, according to the Environmental Working Group. Petroleum, says, Wile, doesn’t penetrate the skin; instead, it sits on top of the lips, sealing in any baddies - like bacteria. That’s why some people tend to get breakouts in the lip area. Natural lip balms use safer ingredients that still take the sting out of cold days.

Look for:

• HEMPSEED OIL naturally lubricates lips with good-for-you fatty acids. “Fatty acids can have a hydrating effect and also help to both seal and coat the lip skin,” says David E. Bank, MD, director of the Center for Dermatology in Mount Kisco, New York. “They can also help repair some of the bonds in between the cells to help make the barrier function of the lip skin stronger, healthier, and more resistant to the things that assault it during the day, from sun to everything we eat and drink.”
• ALOE VERA heals windburned lips, eases pain, and reduces inflammation.
• MENTHOL has a slight numbing effect, which can help ease the pain of chapped lips.
• GREEN TEA is an excellent source of antioxidants, which protect the skin cells from damage by environmental factors like UV radiation, cigarette smoke, and pollution.
• VITAMIN E works as an antioxidant. “It also helps regenerate vitamin C in the skin cells,” says Bank. “Vitamin C is an important antioxidant itself, and it helps form new collagen.”
• SWEET ALMOND OIL also has antioxidant properties, is a nice moisturizer, and is an anti-inflammatory that can help soothe irritated lips.
• SHEA BUTTER moisturizes and contains vitamin A, which helps slough off dead skin cells and maintain healthy ones, says Bank.
• ESSENTIAL OILS have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Many of the, such as tea tree, sweet orange, rosemary, and peppermint, also have antibacterial properties.
• CALENDULA is a healing flower used to calm sunburns and other skin irritations.

When shopping for a lip balm - find our favorites on page 40 [of the December 2007 issue] - choose a product with just a few ingredients, says Hema A. Sundaram, MD, a dermatologist and author of Face Value: The Truth about Beauty - and a Guilt-Free Guide to Finding It (Rodale Books, 2003). Effective lip balm shouldn’t require a laundry list of chemicals, and the fewer items on the label, the less likely you’ll suffer from an allergic reaction to an ingredient.

Get more great tips: Try a free issue of Natural Solutions Magazine.

Information presented is of a general nature for educational and informational purposes only. Statements about products and health conditions have not been evaluated by the US Food and Drug Administration. Products and information presented herein are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional.

Related Articles
Lip Service
Mad About Moisturizers

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Happy New Year, lovely Glam ladies!

What better way to start the year than with a fresh, healthy breakfast? Actually, what better way to start any day than with a fresh, healthy breakfast? The first meal of the day is said to be the most important, but that is only true if you eat something that is good for you; an Egg McMuffin won’t cut it.

One of my all-time favorite breakfasts is also one of the healthiest ones there is: Yogurt with Fresh Fruit and Bran. It is so simple and mouth-wateringly delicious. Plus, there are so many possible variations to this dish that you can easily have it every morning and never get bored.

Here is the basic recipe, along with some fun ideas on variations.

Yogurt with Fresh Fruit and Bran
(Serves 1)

1/2 c. lowfat plain yogurt
1/4 c. bran cereal
1 c. chopped fruit
Pinch of cinnamon

Ideas for variations:
I always use with plain yogurt because you can adjust both the flavors and sweetness without artificial ingredients; just add a touch of honey or your favorite jam.

For crunch, any bran cereal will do. You can also add other healthful cereals, granola, or freshly toasted nuts.

Any combination of fruit is sure to be delicious: choose from apples, oranges, banana, mango, kiwi, papaya, pear, and fresh berries.

Play around with your spice cabinet, but cinnamon and nutmeg probably your best bets.

After this quick and easy breakfast and a warm cup of tea, you’ll be ready to take on the day (and 2008)!

More Recipes:
Homemade Masala Chai
Hummus with Vegetables and Toasted Pita

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Do you stare and covet the perfectly outstretched toes of the graceful yoga instructor while at the same time, looking down at the mat and your own knarly, scrunched up and battered feet? Do you struggle with balancing poses, or experience pain in your feet? As someone who has always struggled with feet ~ I had bunion surgery when I was 20 ~ I feel your pain.

And…I have an exercise for you. It’s a Feldenkrais® maneuver that I learned from my training in Zentherapy® bodywork. It’s a tool that has helped me immensely. I wish I’d known about it before I opted for surgery.

• Sit on the floor with bare feet.
• Stretch your left leg out straight.
• Cross your right leg over the left so that your right foot is resting on your left thigh.
• Interlace the fingers of your left hand with the toes of your right foot.
• Make circular movements with your hand, rotating the foot as much as possible.
• Make the same movement but let the foot drive the movement, in opposition with your hand (like your foot is moving and fighting your hand).
• Let hand and foot move together (as if hand and foot have made up, and in unison).
• Change legs: right leg out straight, left foot resting on the right thigh.
• Repeat steps above with the left foot.

Stand up and see how your foot feels. Notice how your connection to the ground changes as you’ve freed up the tightness in the feet.
Do this exercise daily. Give it a spin before your next tree pose and see the difference in the way your foot grounds down into the floor.

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